To Avoid European Fines… Google Tests Changes to Search Results

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is preparing to test new changes to its search results in order to give greater visibility to its competitors. The move aims to avoid a potential fine from the European Union over accusations that the company favors its own services in searches related to hotels, flights, and restaurants.

According to a report by Reuters on Wednesday, February 25, citing a source familiar with the matter, this step comes after the company was accused last March of violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation designed to limit the dominance of major technology companies in European digital markets.

Although Google has submitted several proposals to reassure competitors and regulators, none of them has been approved so far, as rival companies consider them insufficient to address competition concerns.

According to the same source, the planned changes will display results from both specialized search services and Google’s own results, while automatically highlighting the highest-ranked specialized search engines. Information about hotels, airlines, restaurants, and transportation services—based on real-time data—will appear either above or below the list of specialized search engine results.

These changes are expected to be rolled out soon across Europe. The first phase will focus on search results related to accommodation, before later expanding to include flights and other services.

The adjustments may help ease tensions with the European Commission, the body responsible for enforcing competition laws within the European Union.

Fines for violating the Digital Markets Act can reach up to 10% of a company’s global annual revenue.

It is worth noting that since 2017, Google has accumulated nearly €9.71 billion in fines for various antitrust violations in Europe. This comes amid stricter European oversight of major technology companies, which has also contributed to rising tensions between Brussels and Washington over the regulation of the digital sector.